The Brazos Valley Atheist's Marching Band
KBTX.com
Bryan/College Station
12-05-10

Thousands of people attended Sunday's Christmas Parade.

While there were 100 entries and thousands of participants, one group is getting a lot of the attention. Freedom of and freedom from religion has become a talking point throughout town after an atheist group openly expressed their beliefs during Sundays B/CS Christmas Parade. 18 people made up the Atheist Vuvuzela Marching Band which paraded down Texas Avenue while playing "Jingle Bells" on vuvuzela horns.

The decision to parade though didn't sit well with many of those in attendance. "Wasn't exactly happy about the Christmas Parade this year. I spent many years teaching my children to love and respect other people, the fact that they were children of god, and I don't feel they should be influenced in any other way especially not at a Christmas Parade," said Tina Corgey, who is a lifelong Bryan resident.

"If you have younger children they weren't going to understand, but I have older children, a teenager, 8-year-old, and they were curious and they asked questions, and it was hard for them to believe and understand that there are actually people out there that don't believe in God," Corgey added.

KAMU-FM, a sponsor of the parade, said, "you've heard the phrase, "What would Jesus do?" and so that was something that was mentioned today and the thought that Jesus probably would have wrapped his arms around 'em and welcomed 'em to the event. I hope our community will be big enough to rise above this and do exactly the same thing."

These are the horns they were playing. I don't know how I missed this before. What a great idea. It would seem that the radio station had the best take on the whole thing. Funny how the mother was upset over the thought of her children being exposed to and idea different than her Christian upbringing.